1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a paper output tray that stocks output recording media, a paper output unit incorporating the paper output tray, and an image forming apparatus incorporating the paper output unit including the paper output tray.
2. Related Art
According to a reduction in size of an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a multifunctional device including the features of the copier, the printer, and the facsimile machine, a paper output tray becomes more compact. It is known that such a compact paper output tray is equipped with a paper support extension that can be extended and retracted with respect to the paper output tray so that the compact paper output tray can stack a large recording medium thereon.
In addition to the above-described paper support extension, some paper output trays are provided with a stopper disposed close to the leading edge thereof to stop a recording medium conveyed to the paper output tray after image formation. The stopper prevents a subsequent recording medium to be output to the paper output tray from pushing a preceding recording medium stacked on the paper output tray off the paper output tray.
For example, an image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-2007-176693-A includes a paper stopper (i.e., a recording material locking body) swingably disposed at an edge part of an auxiliary paper tray (i.e., an auxiliary loading means) that is drawably/storably arranged with respect to a fixed paper output tray (i.e., a body loading means). By drawing the auxiliary paper tray from the fixed paper output tray, the paper stopper swings and stands up due to a biasing force exerted by a torsion spring. Therefore, a paper conveyed to the fixed paper output tray can be prevented from falling therefrom. The paper stopper is folded when storing the auxiliary paper tray in the fixed paper output tray. Accordingly, the paper stopper can be stored in the fixed paper output tray together with the auxiliary paper tray.
However, with the configuration in which the paper stopper is stored in the fixed paper output tray as disclosed in JP-2007-176693-A, when drawing or storing the auxiliary paper tray with respect to the fixed paper output tray, the paper stopper is slidably movable with respect to the fixed paper output tray. Therefore, it is likely that the paper stopper and/or the fixed paper output tray are damaged or broken.